As most of you are probably aware, I have been frustratingly slowly recovering from cardiac surgery ever since February, an experience which has led me to consider in some depth a virtue in which I have been clearly deficient. That virtue is patience.

One of the things which you often hear regarding both the King James Bible and the 1928 Book of Common Prayer is that a number of words in both of them have substantially changed their meaning over time, and that we need to be aware of their earlier meanings if we are to understand what we are reading and hearing. I believe that the current understanding of patience has more to do with a willingness to wait for something desired or to stick with a tedious task, but as late as the eighteenth century “patience” carried heavy overtones of the Latin verb from which it is derived, “patior,” meaning “to suffer,” of which the present participle is “patiens”, which means "I am suffering." It is also the source of the noun “patient,” as in a person under medical care. That is why the first real dictionary of the English language, Samuel Johnson's great work of 1755, gives as the primary definition of patience “The power of suffering; calm endurance of pain or labour.”

It has become undeniably clear to me (and, regrettably, probably to everyone around me) over these past weeks that I was no model of patience, because my endurance was far from “calm.” On the contrary, I did a lot of complaining about discomfort, weakness, lack of stamina, restrictions on my activity, and what I considered to be the snail-like speed of my recovery.

A Christian with whose writings I wish more people were familiar is Saint Francis de Sales,who was the Bishop of Geneva from 1602 until his death in 1622. He was of noble birth and highly educated but renounced his claim as eldest son and heir of the Lord of Sales in order to become a priest. Prior to becoming a bishop he had an exceptional priestly career, including service as a Vatican envoy to the court of Henri IV of France, who said of him "A rare bird, this Monsieur de Genève, he is devout and also learned; and not only devout and learned but at the same time a gentleman. A very rare combination.”

De Sales is remembered for a number of things, and the influence of his writings has been powerful in the lives of many Christians. Most notable among those writings is “An Introduction to the Devout Life,” first published in 1609 and continuously in print since 1665.  At a time when most devotional writings were intended for an audience of monks, nuns, or others who had withdrawn from the world, he explicitly states that those who are living in the world are equally capable of, and equally in need of, a life of conscious devotion to God. As he puts it, “It is an error, nay more, a very heresy, to seek to banish the devout life from the soldier’s guardroom, the mechanic’s workshop, the prince’s court, or the domestic hearth. Of course a purely contemplative devotion, such as is specially proper to the religious and monastic life, cannot be practiced in these outer vocations, but there are various other kinds of devotion well-suited to lead those whose calling is secular, along the paths of perfection.”

While attempting to deal with my own lack of patience, I ran across this quotation from him: "Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself."  Now, in the past I had interpreted this to mean “Don't expect to be perfectly patient now but wait for your impatience to pass,” rather expecting that age and maturity would diminish that impatience, but my recent state of mind had definitely shown me the error of that particular assumption. It also occurred to me that if patience is a virtue then impatience is at least a venial sin, and that given the fallen state of human nature I was therefore unlikely to be spontaneously relieved of it.

In continuing to turn all this over in my mind, I remembered the old teaching that the beginning of all sins is pride and I suddenly recognized why I had been so impatient. I had been resenting the slow pace of my recovery even though all of the health care professionals, and I have had to see a lot of them, had been telling me that my progress was excellent. The real root of my impatience was my prideful unwillingness to admit that I was like the pharisee in Luke 18:11 who was of the opinion that he was “not as other men.” Not that, like him, I considered myself more righteous than others, but rather that I believed that I was tougher, more resilient, and more determined than others. My impatience had as it's source the frustration that sprang from a totally unwarranted expectation that I would somehow be exempt from the conditions that apply to everyone else. The unwillingness to accept that I was in fact making good progress led me to waste a lot of energy in futile fretting and, yes, complaining when I should have been thanking God that I was actually doing surprisingly well.

That was my lesson in humility. I've learned it, and I sincerely intend to endeavor not to forget it.

-- Fr Bragg+
 

He is risen. The Lord is risen indeed.

To donate to St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland, please click here.

ORGAN FUND UPDATE:
 With a new organ needed for the church at a cost of $90,000, the organ fund is now at  $62,124.00 in received funds and pledges.  More still needed! Your special gift in any amount will be greatly appreciated. You can click on the blue button above to give.  Once the donation page comes up, please use the drop down menu and highlight "organ fund."  You can also put a check in the offering plate at any service.  Please make sure you write organ fund on the memo line.  Additionally, contributions can be mailed to the parish office at 1607 Dewitt Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301.  Thank you and God bless.

Services & Events

Sunday Services, 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM, & 11:15 AM (for online participation for the services go to: https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland) 

Sunday School, 10:30 AM

Nursery 9:00 & 11:15 Services

Vestry Meeting,  This Monday April 28, 7:30 PM, church undercroft

Wednesday at Noon – Holy Communion and anointing for healing (for online participation please above under Sunday Services)


UPDATED NEEDS FOR MaRIH CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER

As you can see in the list below, MaRIH Center has made a number of changes in its critically needed items. The Center provides help to mothers-to-be and mothers in need.  Please provide some of the items that are needed..They are very greatly appreciated. (You can leave the donations where the food for the food bank is collected on the pew in the undercorft.)

Especially Needed
 In Bold and with an asterisk are a critical need. Please note changes in diaper needs and other items.

*Diapers (sizes newborn, 1, 2, *3, *4, *5, & *6)
*Lovies
*Baby wipes
Diaper rash ointment
Baby shampoo
*Baby blankets
Baby bottles
*Bibs toddler
*Formula: *Simulac Advance Formula
Formula: other but not recalled
Wash clothes
Hooded Towels
Spring/summer clothing: 3-6 mo, 2T
*Grocery gift cards

Food Bank Needs
The food bank appreciates the generosity of our parish.Please help this month with a food donation if you are able. Those we help feed are very thankful for the food we provide to them each month. Please also buy low sugar cereals (and not the kid's types that have lots of sugar).  Current needs include the following:
canned meats (chicken, corned beef, spam)
peanut butter
jelly
tuna
canned vegetables (corn, green beans - (regular and low sodium)
individual fruit cups (low sugar)
canned fruit (low sugar)
canola or vegetable oil (48 oz)
boxed cereal (low sugar) and instant or old fashioned oatmeal (18 oz or 42 oz)
pasta (regular and gluten-free):
instant potatoes
single serving fruit juice
macaroni & cheese
soups: Chunky or Progresso,noodle soup; chicken broth, cream of mushroom
coffee, cooking oil, flour, sugar
Copyright © 2025 St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland
1607 Dewitt Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301-1625